9th Grade Parent Orientation

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9th Grade Parent Orientation

• Saraland High School
• Fall 2008

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Standard Diploma
English 9 Algebra I World History
Biology English 10 Geometry
US History I Physical Science English
11 ________ US History II 2 crs
(Marine, English 12 ________ Govt Econ
Earth, Environ.) ½ credit Health 1 credit
PE ½ credit Fine Art ½ credit computer or
computer competency 5 ½ credits in other
electives


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Advanced Diploma
English 9 Algebra I World History
Biology English 10 Geometry US
History I Physical Science English 11 Algebra
II w/ Trig. US History II 2 crs (Marine,
English 12 ________ Govt Econ
Earth, Environ.) Students shall complete
advanced level work in core curriculum ½ credit
Health 1 credit PE ½ credit Fine Art
½ credit computer or computer competency 2
credits same foreign language 3 ½ credits in
other electives
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Go for the Challenge!

• All diploma options list minimums!
• Students should take the highest level course in
• any subject area that they can handle.
• WHY?
• 1)Students will be taking the ACT upper level
  courses help them prepare for this test.
• 2) Students will know more be better prepared
  for college courses.

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Scheduling

• Students have the opportunity to take four core
  and three elective classes each year.
• For one credit classes students receive one
  Carnegie unit at the end of second semester.
• For courses that are ½ credit students receive
  half a Carnegie unit at the end of that semester.
• Students will register in the spring.

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Earning Credits

• CREDITS
• 28 Possible over 4 years
• You must have 24 to graduate.
• 6 credit min.? 10th grade
• 12 credit min. ?11th grade
• 18 credit min. ?12th grade pass at least 3
  parts of the grad exam

What happens if students lose credits?
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You must PAY

• Make-up credits are costly
• Summer School 600 for two classes
• Correspondence Courses/Night School - varies
  Independent course workmust be approved by
  principal.

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Athletic Eligibility

• Students entering grades 10-12 must have passed 6
  subjects (6 units) the previous year including
  the four core.
• Students must have a minimum composite average of
  70 from the 6 units
• PE can only count as 1 unit per year
• No more than 2 units can be made up in Summer
  School
• Eligibility determined the first day of school

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Options after High School

• College or University - 4 yrs Bachelor Degree
• need HS diploma, ACT/SAT scores GPA to be
  accepted, GED with minimum ACT score in some
  cases
• Junior or Community College - 2 yrs Associate
  Degree need HS diploma or GED
• Technical or Trade School - 2 yrs or less
  Associate Degree or Certificate
• need HS diploma or GED
• Military term of enlistment
• must have a HS diploma
• Work - Employers are looking for good attendance
  and a clean discipline record most want a HS
  diploma

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Grade Point Average

• All courses count !
• An A in PE gives you the same number of quality
  points as an A in Physics - however
• Colleges may look at both students overall GPA
  core GPA.
• Scholarships usually have a minimum GPA.

(Students GPA at the end of their Junior year
will be important!)
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GPA Worksheet

• Lets say a student makes 2 As, 4 Bs,
• an F.
• Heres the math.
• A - 2 x 4 pts 8
• B - 4 x 3 pts 12
• F - 1 x O pts 0
• 20 7
• 2.85 or C

• The longer you are in school, the harder it is to
  bring up a GPA.

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Alabama High School Graduation Exam

• Reading
• Language
• Math (fall 9th grade if successfully completed
  Algebra I in 8th)
• Science (fall 10th grade if successfully
  completed Biology in 9th)
• Social Studies
• All parts (including parts not passed) will be
  taken in the spring of 10 grade.

Students will have at least 5 chances to pass
before graduation.
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Scholarship Applications are looking for

• Challenging courses
• Good grades
• Participation in extra-curricular activities
  band, clubs, service organizations, sports, work,
  etc.
• Leadership qualities
• Many scholarships are based on GPAs and test
  scores.
• Certain scholarships are guaranteed based on ACT
  or SAT scores.

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Attendance

• Success in school is dependent upon good
  attendance.
• An early dismissal before ½ day or a tardy after
  ½ day is counted as an absence.
• Students can be subject to a loss of credit for
  any class in which they do not meet the
  attendance requirements.

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High School is

• Challenging, both academically socially.
• Very different from elementary or middle school.
• The beginning of the end of your students
  childhood.